Adderall is a fairly new drug in the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder.

Adderall, a “cocktail” mixture of four different amphetamine salts, was first developed about 20 years ago and marketed under the name Obetrol for weight loss and diet control. In 1996 the FDA approved Adderall for unrestricted use for treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder and Adderall is quickly becoming a physician favorite for the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder in children.

If parents must choice a prescription ADHD medication, Adderall and Adderall XR is generally a better choice for many reasons.

Adderall last about six hours per dose and remains active in the body longer than a dose of Ritalin. This longer acting dose alleviates the need for school day dosing but will interfere with sleep if taking the Adderall medication in the afternoon or evening hours.

Adderall side effects are also often less harsh than Ritalin’s. Many patients report less “peaks and valleys” than Ritalin and less of a drop off (withdrawal) than Ritalin. Ritalin also tends to cause more stomach discomfort and tends to produce more moodiness than Adderall.

But, all Attention Deficit Disorder medication - Adderall included - has potentially harmful side effects. Adderall is an amphetamine that works on children in the same way amphetamines work on adults. Children are subject to the same adverse Adderall side effects as adults using amphetamines, with the most common amphetamine and Adderall side effects being loss of appetite, weight loss and insomnia.

In most cases, the Adderall side effects are mild but some Adderall side effects, though rare, are life threatening. Parents need to be clear about the benefits of Adderall medication as well as the potential Adderall side effects of using these drugs before choosing to place their child on prescription ADHD medication.

Adderall medication can be helpful in the short term in controlling Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms but many doctors feel the potential Adderall side effects should be carefully weighed before prescribing drugs like Adderall medication.

No one experiences Adderall side effects in exactly the same way. Parents should immediately alert their child’s doctor to any Adderall side effects experienced.

Fruit juices can lower absorption of Adderall. Alkalinizing agents such as Diamox heighten the absorption of Adderall medication. Thorazine, lithium, and Haldol can decrease the effects of Adderall medication. Tricyclic antidepressants may increase their levels when taken with Adderall medication.

Parents should note that serious, even fatal, Adderall medication interactions can occur if Adderall is taken with MAO Inhibitors.

Amphetamines like Adderall can impair judgment and the ability to engage in potentially hazardous activities like operating machinery, vehicles and sports participation.

Adderall medication has a high potential for Adderall abuse as well as addiction.

Amphetamines like Adderall should be administered at the lowest effective dosage and dosage should be individually adjusted to avoid Adderall abuse and harmful Adderall side effects.

When possible, Adderall medication should be stopped occasionally to determine if there is sufficient need for continued Adderall medication therapy.

It should also be noted that Adderall medication is not recommended for children under 5 years of age since safety and effectiveness has not been established in this age group.

ADDERALL ABUSE

Adderall is a reformulated version and close cousin of the ADHD medication Dexedrine. Dextroamphetamine (Adderall, Dexedrine) is classified as Schedule II controlled substance, a classification given to medical drugs with the highest abuse potential and dependence profile.

Drug Enforcement Agency data on methylphenidate (Ritalin, Conceta) and amphetamine (Dexedrine, Adderall) shows that both have high abuse liabilities. These substances are powerful stimulants and Adderall abuse, along with Ritalin abuse, is extensive.

Adderall abuse can lead to marked tolerance, escalation in Adderall dosages and addiction. Although the majority of Adderall abuse cases cited pertain to adults, case studies also profile adolescents who abuse their Adderall medication.

Other Adderall abuse reports students selling their Adderall medication to friends and schoolmates. Because Dextroamphetamine (street name “dexies”) can have a retail value in the high school parking lot, doctors often avoid prescribing Adderall medication to teenagers.

Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) and amphetamine (Dexedrine, Adderall) abuse produce behavioral and psychological effects similar to cocaine. The Adderall side effects of Adderall abuse include marked aggression and irritability, hyperactivity, and personality changes.

Abruptly stopping Adderall after prolonged high dosage Adderall abuse results in extreme fatigue and mental depression. The most severe, though rare, Adderall side effects of Adderall abuse is psychosis. This Adderall abuse side effect is often clinically indistinguishable from schizophrenia.

Long-term methylphenidate and amphetamine use has also been linked to abnormalities in brain development, similar to those found with long-term cocaine use. Changes on the sleep EEG are also noted with Adderall abuse.

It is natural for parents to question whether taking a powerful stimulant like Adderall medication is in their child's best interests. Amphetamine stimulants like Adderall are worrisome for many reasons – predominately because of the potential for harmful Adderall side effects and high potential for Adderall abuse.

You must be either mistaken on your dosage, or are overdosing on a daily basis. I take a larger amount of AdderallXR per day (25mg 2x daily) and I know that that is a very high dosage. Any more than that, I become jumpy, sweaty, my heart starts racing, pounding headaches, my face and ears flush bright red, and I get dizzy. While doeses in excess of 250mg are not necessarily fatal in most cases, I question the "Doctor" who is perscribing you that kind of dosage for attention defecit dissorder.

Furthermore, after a certain amount of the substance, your deplete the stored up dopamine in your system, so there is technically no benefit to taking a higher dosage.

I'm taking 10 mg Adderall XR twice a day, and other than elevating my blood pressure a bit, I haven't noticed other side effects. Without it, I'm in an Inattentive muddled fog. With it, I'm more awake, alert, and present. I've grown kinda fond of the stuff, myself.

Wait a minute, I did have headaches at first, but that stopped in a week or two.

Prettyperfect: 120mg per day of regular adderall is 3 times the highest dose prescribed daily for ADD. The max dose is 40mg daily and doctors RARELY prescribe more than that. (Unless it is Adderall XR) They might prescribe 10mg more than 40 and the MOST would be 60mg, and that would be 20mg over suggested daily allowence. Are you sure youre taking adderall??

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P.S. The dose you need to take does not really depend on how severe your ADHD is. If it was that severe they would have you on more than one med instead of just giving you an unimaginable high dose of a stim. So..... I dont know what to say to you.. either you have a bad doctor or......................nm

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Last edited by LiLMissADDitude; 09-02-03 at 01:51 PM..

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I said the top recomended dose for ADD is 40mg. Just as stated in my earlier post doctors will sometimes take the dose up to 60mg, but that is still higher than the recomended daily amount of adderall for ADD. And that exactly what I said earlier.

The top recomended dose for NARCOLEPSY is 60mg! Do you have narcolepsy P?? We are talking ADHD here, not sleep disorders.

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~*~ Kristy ~*~

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